You can read all the reviews you want about Muse's latest album, "The 2nd Law." In fact, I recommend it because it's great fun to see critics scramble to try to describe this Great Magnificent Mess of a record with clever name-check antecedants of the same ol' Bowie to Queen, Radiohead to Led Zep folks. This time, they even throw in Skrillex!

Muse, which perform Saturday in the Mohegan Sun Arena, have always worn their (obvious) influences brazenly on the sleeves of their (figurative) "Lost in Space"-style velour shirts.

On "The 2nd Law," though, band mastermind Matt Bellamy has gone so far over the top in his attempt to assimilate and reconfigure Music with a capital "M" that the result is sort of like listening to his own brain explode.

It sounds really good, by the way. And mark it down: this will be one of the most stunning live shows you'll ever see.

- RICK KOSTER

Muse,

8 p.m. Saturday, Mohegan Sun Arena;

$45 and $65; (888) 664-3426, mohegansun.com.